A significant step has been taken regarding the Hyderabad Regional Ring Road (RRR) northern section project, which is set to become a gem for Telangana. The decision has been made to undertake the construction of the RRR in five packages. In this regard, the central government has invited tenders for the construction work of the northern section of the RRR. This project, which will operate as a Greenfield Regional Expressway, will be constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) with four lanes. The work will be undertaken in five packages spanning 161.518 kilometers, from Girmapur in Sangareddy district to Tangadpalli in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district. The central government has estimated the total cost for the northern section at Rs 7,104.06 crore.
Tenders for the Regional Ring Road were invited on December 27, and bids can be submitted until February 14, 2025. The bids will be opened on February 17. Tender applications will be available on the NHAI website. The companies that win the RRR tenders will have to complete the entire work within two years. The central government has decided to undertake these works using the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) method.
In the construction of the northern part of the Regional Ring Road, the contracting company will be responsible for all engineering work, material procurement, expenses, and construction. The funds allocated for construction are expected to be recovered through toll collection over a period of 17 years. A total of 1,940 hectares of land is required for the construction of the RRR northern section, and authorities have stated that 94% of the land acquisition has already been completed. The RRR road will be constructed to allow vehicles to travel at a speed of 120 km/h. The entire road will feature 11 interchanges, and restrooms will be provided at six locations. In total, the construction of the 161.518 km northern section of the RRR will include 187 underpasses, four flyovers, 26 large bridges, 81 small bridges, and up to 400 culverts.
Tender Package Details
1st Package: From Girmapur village to Reddipalli village, a 34.518 km four-lane greenfield road – Rs 1,529.19 crores, with a construction time of two years and 5 years of maintenance.
2nd Package: From Reddipalli village to Islampur village, a 26 km four-lane greenfield road – Rs 1,114.80 crores, with a construction time of two years and 5 years of maintenance.
3rd Package: From Islampur village to Pragnapur, a 23 km four-lane greenfield road – Rs 1,184.81 crores, with a construction time of two years and 5 years of maintenance.
4th Package: From Pragnapur to Rayagiri village, a 43 km four-lane greenfield road – Rs 1,728.22 crores, with a construction time of two years and 5 years of maintenance.
5th Package: From Rayagiri village to Tangadpalli village, a 35 km four-lane greenfield road – Rs 1,547.04 crores, with a construction time of two years and 5 years of maintenance.
Telangana Govt’s Focus on RRR Southern Section
With the central government inviting tenders for the northern section of the Regional Ring Road (RRR), attention has shifted to the southern section. While the central government is directly handling the northern section of the roadwork, the state government has decided to take on the southern section. The state government has announced on various occasions that both sections will be worked on simultaneously.
The southern section needs to be built over a span of 189.20 kilometres, from Choutuppal in Yadadri district to Sangareddy. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has emphasised in several instances that this road will connect the prestigious Fourth City and the Shamshabad airport.
However, when tenders were invited on November 25 for a consultancy firm to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the southern section, not a single bid was received. In light of this, the Telangana government plans to invite tenders again for the DPR.
The state aims to complete the construction of the RRR southern section within three years. The first 14 months will be dedicated to preparing all the reports related to the DPR, reviewing and approving them, followed by the construction work planned for the next 22 months.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) will include every aspect such as road alignment, construction, junctions, bridges, underpasses, and culverts. Along with these, the report will also detail the lakes, ponds, government and private lands, and the land of farmers that need to be acquired in the project area. The DPR will suggest the best approach for executing the project, whether through Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC), Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), or Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) methods.
For funding the southern section of the Regional Ring Road, the Telangana government is considering financial assistance from institutions like JICA, the World Bank, and ADB. However, with no response from any consultancy firm for preparing the DPR, there is increasing speculation within government circles that the central government may take over the project. It is reported that there has been positive feedback from Union Minister Nitin Gadkari regarding this. If this happens, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will have to call tenders once again for a consultancy firm to design the DPR for the southern section.
